Alleged gate-crasher facing federal charges

A 25-year-old Palmer man is facing federal charges after he allegedly crashed his pick-up truck through the Boniface gate of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson around midnight Jan. 19.

According to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Kyle Hansen illegally entered through the Boniface gate, then led security officials on a chase around the base before crashing through the gate and fleeing. He was captured at around 9 p.m. at the Eagle River home of his friend Shawn McKenna after Anchorage Police received an anonymous tip.

Hansen is charged with Assault on a Federal Officer, Destruction of Government Property and Illegally Entering a Military Property.

The complaint filed by Air Force OSI Special Agent Matthew Dallara sheds light on Hansen’s behavior before and after the alleged gate-crashing incident.

According to Dallara, this is how Hansen’s night unfolded:

At around 11 p.m., McKenna called Hansen to ask him for a ride from TGI Friday’s to Eagle River. When Hansen arrived at the restaurant, the documents say, he told McKenna he’d been drinking. McKenna allegedly told investigators that he argued with Hansen over his level of intoxication. McKenna allegedly took Hansen’s keys, but later Hasen took them back and ended up driving McKenna to the home of another man in Anchorage. According to the charging documents, McKenna said he didn’t think Hansen was intoxicated, but that he “was not acting normal” and that he’d witnessed Hansen taking Coricidin D on multiple occasions and knew his friend also used heroin in the past.

Shortly after dropping McKenna off, Hansen allegedly drove a blue GMC pick-up through the Boniface entrance and sped around base at speeds up to 60 MPH. The vehicle allegedly tried to exit via the Government Hill gate, but was blocked and turned back toward Boniface. Hansen allegedly struck a security vehicle with an officer inside. JBER personnel set up a roadblock, which Hansen allegedly tried to avoid. The documents say Hansen struck an Airman while avoiding the roadblock, causing the security officer to be struck by his own rifle. At that point, officers opened fire on the vehicle.

Hansen allegedly escaped by crashing through the gate, causing an estimated $30,000 to $50,000 in damages.

Authorities managed to track the vehicle to McKenna from a license plate found at the scene. McKenna allegedly told investigators that the truck was registered in his name because Hansen was on probation for felony Driving Under the Influence and Felony Eluding and wasn’t supposed to be driving.

The documents say Hansen sent text messages to McKenna shortly after the incident saying “pick up your phone,” “I need you now,” and “s--- hit the fan.” Hansen allegedly arrived at McKenna’s residence on Heritage Court at around 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 19 with used syringes and an empty alcohol bottle in tow. The charging documents say Hansen told McKenna about the incident and claimed he was talking to an unidentified female on the phone when he went through the Boniface gate. He allegedly told McKenna he didn’t stop because he was afraid security officers would kill him. He also allegedly said he planned to go home, get his guns and “go out with a bang,” because he didn’t want to go back to jail.

He was allegedly found hiding beneath a bed at McKenna’s home at around 9 p.m. that evening. He was handcuffed by APD officers and arrested for violating probation for a pair of DUI convictions and a Felony Eluding conviction.